DOES british tv

FUEL TERRORISM?

ETHICAL CONSIDERATIONS?

introduction

conclusion

content analysis

Terrorism is “an intensely media-speci�c phenomenon,” Post, 2007

It could be said that modern news media thrives on action and controversy. Television broadcast in particular seem to sensationalise stories to increase ratings and have become obsessed with covering violence and scandals to grab the attention of their viewers. A common area to appear amongst these is the coverage of terrorist attacks, which in turn grants radicals access to their large audiences. Jerrald Post (2007) describes the media as “…the agents of the terrorists, the megaphones of the terrorists”. It could be argued that without publicity, terrorism would have no outlet or voice which leads to the question, does the media aid in the construction of terrorism? This research plan will outline how this question could be answered and will focus on British television journalism only; the BBC in particular. The BBC’s Editorial Guidelines address that acts of terror “should be

Key t

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web survey

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Reference List

Altheide, David. "The Mass Media And Terrorism". N.p., 2007. Web. 6 Jan. 2016.

Altheide, David L. Terror Post 9/11 And The Media. New York: Peter Lang, 2009. Print.

Barnett, Brooke, and Amy Reynolds. Terrorism And The Press. New York: Peter Lang, 2009. Print.

BBC Radio 4,. Terror and the Oxygen of Publicity. N.p., 2014. Web. 9 Jan. 2016.

Bbc.co.uk,. "BBC - Editorial Guidelines - War, Terror - Terror". N.p., 2016. Web. 2 Jan. 2016.

Dispatches,. Spnning Terror. Channel 4, 2012. TV programme.

Galtung, J., and M. Ruge. "Structuring and Selecting News." The Manufacture of News. Eds. Stanley Cohen and Jock Young. London: Constable, 1973. Web. 29 Dec 2015.

Gerhards, Jurgen, and Mike S Schafer. "International Terrorism, Domestic Coverage? How Terrorist Attacks Are Presented In The News Of CNN, Al Jazeera, The BBC, And ARD". the International Communication Gazette. N.p., 2016. Web. 6 Jan. 2016.

Jetter, Michael. Blowing Things Up: The E�ect Of Media Attention On Terrorism. Medellín, Colombia: N.p., 2015. Web. 3 Jan. 2016.

Ho�man, Bruce. Inside Terrorism. New York: Columbia University Press, 2006. Print.

Kavoori, Anandam P, and Todd Fraley. Media, Terrorism, And Theory. Lanham, Md.: Rowman & Little�eld, 2006. Print.

Lumbaca, Sonise, and David H Gray. "The Media As An Enabler For Acts Of Terrorism". Global Security Studies 2.1 (2016): n. pag. Web. 29 Dec. 2015.

Munnich, Stuart. We Must Starve Terrorists Of The Oxygen Of Publicity. 2016. Web. 29 Dec. 2015.

Nacos, Brigitte Lebens, and Oscar Torres-Reyna. Fueling Our Fears. Lanham, Md.: Rowman & Little�eld Publishers, 2007. Print.

Norris, Pippa, Montague Kern, and Marion R Just. Framing Terrorism. New York: Routledge, 2003. Print.

Post, Jerrold M. The Mind Of The Terrorist. New York: Palgrave Macmillan, 2007. Print.

Viera, John D. Terrorism at the BBC: The IRA on British Television. Journal of Film and Video: 40 (4). University of Illinois Press: 28-36. 1988. Web: http://msbeenen.wikispac-es.com/�le/view/Terrorism+at+the+BBC.pdf

Terry, Herbert A. Television And Terrorism: Professionalism Not Quite The Answer. Print.

"The Secret War On Terror". BBC 1, 2011. TV programme.

Walsh, James. Media Attention To Terrorist Attacks: Causes And Consequences. North Carolina: N.p., 2010. Web. 4 Jan. 2016.

“We must starve terrorists of the ‘oxygen of publicity,’” Thatcher, 1985

reported quickly, accurately, fully and responsibly”. However contemporary terrorist activity is purposely designed to meet the needs of television news to gain the reports. Their attacks ful�l violence, intensity, unambiguity and rarity which, according to Galtung and Ruge (1965) are the key ingredients for a crisp and newsworthy story. Some may argue terrorists provide exactly what the media’s news agenda reads and the media then fuel and spread their publicity; both equally desiring attention from a mass audience. The statement made by former UK Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher that, “We must starve terrorists of the ‘oxygen of publicity’”, is supported by the UK government today; however with advanced forms of communication and increased availability of media, it has become much easier for terrorists to use the media for its own purposes.

Terrorism at the BBC: The IRA on British Television - John David Viera The academic journal looks into the relationship between terrorism and television in relation to the British government’s responses to media coverage of the terrorist activity of the Irish Republican Army. The journal focuses on a BBC documentary and its proposed broadcast titled “At the Edge of the Union”, which shows an interview with an IRA leader, Martin McGuinness. Viera argues that documentary techniques presented through media outlets like the BBC may fuel terroristic actions.

Fueling Our Fears - Brigitte Nacos This book focuses on the e�ects terrorist coverage has on its audiences and how the media fuels fear amongst society, thus fuelling the aims terrorism desires. Nacos allows the reader to understand how the media’s portrayal of attacks can create stereotypes and harm the reputation of certain ethnic groups; Muslim and Arab Americans in particular. Fueling Our Fears is an academic piece of work that looks on the other side of the coin and how the media is quite possibly its own worst enemy.

International terrorism, domestic coverage? How terrorist attacks are presented in the news of CNN, Al Jazeera, the BBC, and ARD - Jurgen Gerhards and Mike S SchaferThis research article analyses the similarities and di�erences between di�erent news channels’ coverage on four terrorist incidents and the amount of attention paid to the attacks. The study examines news broadcasts from both sides of the alleged con�ict between the Arab and ‘Western’ worlds and focuses on television coverage only. The article notes that all four news channels share a similarity in that each certainly add to and help terrorism.

“Terrorists plan their operations in a manner

that will shock, impress and intimidate, ensuring that their acts

are su�ciently daring and violent to capture the attention of the media...

” Ho�man, 2006

•This quantitative research method analyses the content of media to determine the representation of any main themes. •For my research I would need to access a number of BBC broadcasts made on terrorist attacks between a certain time gap. For example 2005 to 2010. My �ndings would then be compared to the number of terrorist attacks that followed soon after any report was made.

•I would need to look at The Global Terrorism Database which is an open-source database online to check the increase of attacks between my time period and the density of these also.•I would use similar methods as Michael Jetter’s research mentioned in my key texts. Created on a larger scale, Jetter analysed over 60,000 attacks and its coverage and found a clear link between these and attacks that

followed.•To reach the answer “yes” to my research question I would need to �nd a similar link but with broadcasts from the BBC only.

Blowing Things Up: The E�ect of Media Attention on Terrorism - Michael JetterThis most recent research study analyses over 60,000 terrorist attacks and reveals an intimate link between media coverage and the occurrence of further attacks in the upcoming weeks. Jetter advises that from his �ndings the media should not sensationalise coverage as it’s possible this can encourage further activities and increase the number of victims unnecessarily. The paper does not suggest that terrorist attacks should not be covered, but reported on in a way that does not serve its creators.

The Mind Of The Terrorist: The Psychology of Terrorism from the IRA to al-Qaeda - Jerrold Post Post’ book explains how the terrorist mind works and how the media could help combat terrorism more e�ectively. He suggests that “hatred has been bred in the bone” and a free press helps to fuel and continue terrorist stereotypes and spread fear.

Media Attention to Terrorist Attacks: Causes and Consequences - James Igoe WalshThis research brief recognises that most terrorist attacks receive little attention from major media outlets, but those such as 9/11 and The London Bombings received heavy coverage. James Walsh analyses what in�uences the decisions made by the media to devote attention to terrorist attacks and how coverage can be prominent to sympathisers and supporters.

The Media as an Enabler for Acts of Terrorism - Sonise Lumbaca and David H. GrayLumbaca and Gray’s paper analyses the relationship between terrorism and the media and argues that media functions as a pure enabler for terrorism. They describe the media as the “toolkits” of terrorists, acting as an instrument for them, instilling fear within a community and spreading their messages.

STRENGTHS&WEAKNESSES?STRENGTHS

WEAKNESSES•Web surveys, a second quantitative use of methodology, is a cost e�ective way of collecting large amounts of information without having to pay for interviewers, paper supplies or postage, and does not require separate data entry for responses to be processed.•I would create a free web survey online and distribute this across di�erent UK websites and social media. Web surveys have the

ability to gather several thousand responses within hours if they are posted on the right and relevant websites.•I would be interested in hearing what the general public think about my research question and their opinion on media and terrorism as consumers of British media themselves. •It would gather information e�ciently and on a larger scale compared with other

methods•A web survey has the capacity to �nd me general opinion whilst content analysis will search the facts to hopefully match and back the gathered responses up.

+This research project would dive into a very current and relevant topic in today’s society that needs to be addressed. I believe it would reveal and answer questions that many people have but do not know the full answers to. +The study would focus on British broadcasting as opposed to broadcasting of terrorism internationally. I believe British people would be interested in �nding out if the BBC adds to terrorism and how they do this.

From conducting this research and following the plan as outlined, I believe I would reach the potential conclusion that British broadcasting certainly adds to terrorism and keeps it alive but is certainly not the only news outlet to fuel it. I believe I would however reach the answer that the media collectively fuel terrorism and by reading over my key texts I gage this to be a “group e�ort” and the media internationally aid in the construction of fear and further attacks. Altheide (2007) notes that today the media are being more careful and use certain language and framing to follow the guidelines of ‘starving the terrorists of oxygen of publicity’. He says news channels that are impartial and objective, like the BBC, use certain words in replace of “terrorist” to create less panic and make the public aware of events but in a “lighter tone”. By selectively using language, Altheide argues the media have the ability to reduce fear whilst delivering reports, remaining a free press and serving the public interest. I believe my research would �nd that the BBC and other media outlets are currently taking the steps towards competing for ‘the oxygen’ and ultimately depriving terrorists of their goals and means associated and used through today’s news media, the fourth estate.

•I must be sensitive about the questions I pose in my web survey. I would be impartial and unbiased and word my questions carefully so that I do not sway my respondents to a certain answer.

•I would also need to choose questions that do not cause o�ence, create harm, or instil fear. They would need to be very basic and not too in-depth. In the event that a victim or survivor of terrorism views and answers my web survey, I would not want to precipitate any forms of unsettlement.

-The topic is extremely widespread and reported on every day therefore it would be time consuming to obtain a certain number of BBC reports and accurately research follow-up attacks after this to �nd a link.-In terms of using a web survey for this research, it would not provide enough responses to be able to generalise the UK’s opinion on my question as a whole. I would only retrieve answers from a certain number of people.

journalism

Emma Lawford